VULNERABILITY OF THE MEXICAN CARIBBEAN BEACHES

The Mexican Caribbean is a high-risk coastal area. It faces numerous natural and anthropogenic hazards due to its unique ecosystem worldwide and significant economic pressure in the region. The area, which have a high population density in cities like Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, have been affected by accelerated changes altering its natural dynamics (Silva et al, 2019). These alterations have led to the instability and degradation of the coastal ecosystems (Silva et al, 2019), resulting in the reduction of protection services provided by coral reefs and coastal vegetation against hurricanes, a phenomenon widely demonstrated (Odériz et al, 2020). This study performed a spatial vulnerability analysis of the Mexican Caribbean coast by analyzing vulnerability indicators based on geomorphological (sediment and beach characteristics) and biological (foredune, seagrass, and coral reef cover) factors. Based on the spatial analysis, the areas of higher vulnerability in the region were identified. Once these vulnerable areas are identified, it is possible to identify adaptation and mitigation strategies to mitigate climate risk.